AOC i2757Fm review

Sexeh design but 1080p only. Is that really a problem?

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For

Good price

27-inch panel

Decent image quality

Against

Not the finest IPS panel

Flimsy aluminium panel

When I first picked up the box for this new screen from budget monitor moguls AoC, I must confess to groaning at the mix of 27-inch panel and relatively lowly 1080p native resolution. Normally, I'd prefer a higher resolution to go with my larger screen size, but that's mostly because I've got a graphics card in my rig capable of rendering at stupid resolutions like that.

Most modern graphics cards are more than capable of shunting pixels and polygons around at 1080p resolutions but will come a cropper if you make that step up in resolution. In light of this, it actually makes sense to have larger screens that still make use of the lower native resolution instead.

That way you still get a lot of screen real estate, but the frame rates don't suffer compared to a 22 to 24-inch panel. And when you're comparing it against those smaller screen sizes it's pretty impressive that AoC can deliver a 27-inch IPS panel for just £231. Not long ago this sort of screen would have had to cost well north of £300.

Bye bye bezel

It's also impressive that AoC has managed to create a screen at this price with such a tiny bezel. When I first dragged the screen from it's box I actually thought I had my hands on something completely sans bezel - sadly though it's just set flush to the screen and is invisible when the screen's turned off.

Still, the black bezel is only 9mm, so it's hardly obtrusive. So, from a distance at least, the chassis of the i2757FM looks like a very high-end product. With that panel stretching almost to the limits of the surround and that brushed aluminium base and touch controls, it looks quite luxurious to the eye. That's all from a distance though; get up close and personal and you'll soon see the edges of the matte covering for the screen, just begging to be picked at.

The aluminium panel at the bottom doesn't feel like it's that securely attached to the rest of the chassis either. But it's an AoC screen for a little over £200, what did you really expect? It's perfectly functional and, as long as you don't get too close, is rather pretty to look at too. And if you play with the settings a little you'll see beautifully clear, crisp and bright imagery flashing up on your screen.

The IPS panel tech is immediately obvious from the moment it lights up. The colours are much more vibrant than a standard TN screen, though the blacks and whites can be broken with the BrightFrame tech. It's not the best IPS screen, but still better than an equivalent TN.

You can also hook up your MHL-enabled smartphone to it via the included cable. It's a bit of a gimmick really, throwing your phone screen onto your PC monitor, but allows you to charge from the HDMI port at least.

For such a bargain price then this is a great monitor, and you'll be more than pleased with your purchase as it sits on your desk looking all futuristic. If you don't think your rig will manage with higher resolutions than 1080p this is a great way of getting a bigger screen without losing gaming pace.

Tech Specs

Product Type

LCD Monitor

Number of Screens

1

HDCP Supported

No

Green Compliant

Yes

Green Compliance Certificate/Authority

ENERGY STAR

USB

Yes

HDMI

Yes

Backlight Technology

LED

VGA

Yes

S-Video

No

Composite Video

No

Component Video

No

DisplayPort

No

Product Family

Style

Brightness

250 cd/m², 250 cd/m²

Screen Mode

Full HD

Colour Support

16.7 Million Colours

Maximum Resolution

1920 x 1080

Brand Name

AOC

Contrast Ratio

1,000:1

Screen Size

68.6 cm (27")

Aspect Ratio

16:9

Response Time

5 ms

Speakers

Yes

Built-in Devices

Speaker

Manufacturer

AOC

Product Model

i2757Fm

Product Name

i2757Fm 68.6cm (27") LED Monitor

Product Line

Style

Manufacturer Part Number

I2757FM

Manufacturer Website Address

http://www.aocmonitor.com

Marketing Information

AOC has a product for every user and every application. All AOC displays offer sophisticated features at affordable prices. The product line includes: LCDs: Slim, stylish, power-conscious displays with large viewable areas. Essential for environments where space is a consideration. Flat Face CRTs: Displays with precise resolution that enhance on-screen detail and minimize distortion. Perfect for rich visual content. CRTs: Price-conscious displays backed by proven technology. Ideal for task oriented computing.